The Seance Wednesday at Midnight

[Blackguard]

Darlene's weight and ferocity had an effect upon the melee.  The monster's grip on the soldier's throat loosened momentarily, giving the man time to punch Forenzi in the gut.  There was hope that it would cause the man to crumple, but it did not.  The monster seemed impervious, though further distracted by the fleeing duo of ladies.  "Do not go ladies," he called after them.  "We were just getting acquainted."  He wanted to snap the necks of those two, but he was being held back.  He attempted to shake Darlene free.  Where she conjured the strength to hang on was something to marvel.  Elizabeth moved to the nearby wall and pulled forth a burning torch.  She needed to get the spirit to flee and had an idea.

The soldier tried to retreat so that he could swing his rapier, with no luck.  The two combatants were too close to one another.  Thompson tried to bring down the hilt of his sword hard on Forenzi's head, but Darlene was in the way.  The monster was pushing the soldier back against the wall, where he might lose all maneuverability.  The soldier kept trying to break free but the monster had both hands on his chest and was propelling Thompson backward.  With his back to the wall, the soldier would be easy prey for the stronger beast.

Davina and Anne ran as best they could in the dark rock strewn passages.   Marie was further ahead, swing the lantern and screaming at the top of her lungs for help.  They would be to the surface in another couple of minutes.

OOC~  Any other PC that is still available to post on Wednesday night after midnight and can concost a plausible reason to be at the entrance of the dungeon area is free to join the thread.  

[Darlene Hamilton]

It was like trying to ride a bucking bronco (not that Darlene had tried that before). She clung, pommeled and yelled, thinking that she was helping. She grabbed the Count's arm and gave it a hard pull, trying to lose the grasp on the poor lifeguard.  

Light lurched around and shadows shifted; she did not know it was Elizabeth's torch efforts, but believed it was, "Thomas!  Help me please!" her brave hero of a dead husband was here. Was ready to defend. Just as he'd always been in life.  "Make this wretched spirit lose its hold!" 

Darlene had no idea that cowards at that moment fled. 

[Davina Wellsley]

Once decided she continued on back the way they had come.

at count 28 will be a torch on the right  ...... at 42 another on the left   .... 

She called out to her friend.

"I counted my steps as we came in and so it will be the same now. There will be some rocks scattered about half way in darkness. If we are quick we can catch up with the maid and bring her silent".

"She must not be allowed to get help. This can not be made common knowledge."

"You understand why I think."

"We are close now I can smell the difference   ......."

She did not expect any answers back and kept to the pace that she had set.

Soon they reached the opening and passed back out into the fresh air. Her eyes searched at once for the maid and finding her drew up beside Anne Elizabeth saying

"You take one side I will take the other. Cover her mouth so she cannot keep crying out. Once she is subdued then one of us must go for help  ....."

"Unless you have a better plan?"

[Anne-Elisabeth Devereux]

Anne-Elisabeth grabbed a torch on the way out. Though glad that Davina had counted her steps, she knew another way to retrace their path … by literally retracing their path. Not only had the group of ladies gone through the cellars, but all the Count’s paraphernalia had been moved in at some point. The dust on the floor would be disturbed by so much activity. If they came to a corner where they had to turn right or left, they would know to avoid the direction covered with a pristine layer of grime.

 

She was perfectly content to let her friend lead them out, for her mind was reeling in a thousand different directions. Who could they trust for assistence? As Davina said, nobody could know about the botched séance or that there was potentially a demonic spirit on the loose.  At the very least, they would be shunned. The worst case scenario would be being burned at the stake for witchcraft. If the Duchess was executed, Anne-Elisabeth would roast skewers of meat in the flames to celebrate, but she and Davina were innocent of any wrongdoing. They had only been curious and had believed that it was all a hoax.

 

It was still possible that it was only an act and the Count was under the influence of whatever had been in that small brown bottle.

 

She was tempted to convince Davina not to go for help at all. They could go back to her room and discuss what they should do to save their own skins.  However, she didn’t think that her friend would be able to live with herself if she didn’t try to save the others. In the Barbadian Countess’ opinion, it was already too late. It had taken them a fair amount of time to reach the surface. The battle was probably over now.

 

Anne-Elisabeth took a deep breath of the fresh night air as Davina spoke of silencing the maid. “Nobody will believe her. They’ll think she’s insane and throw her in Bedlam  I do think that the two of us need to remain together. The danger is not over yet. But you are right and it is better to stop her. Shall we knock her unconscious or would it be better to tell her that her mistress is calling for her and send her back through the tunnels?”

 

Either plan was fine with her.

 

“And do you know of anyone we can ask for help who can be trusted to keep secrets?"

[Blackguard]

[OOC~  I will do a turn or two for Darlene below before doing an update for Davina and Anne, since they needed a minute or two to exit the cellar.]

 

Whether by dumb luck or some intervention, Darlene lost her hold on Forensi and slid to the ground.  In doing so, her form and her billowing gown got tangled in the monster's footwork, causing him to stumble.  This allowed the Life Guard officer to break free of the hold and jump back, holding his sword menacingly.

The monster knew it had lost its kill for the moment, but seemed unfazed.  Looking down at Darlene, who lay crumpled on the ground near him, he turned back to the soldier.  "Drop your sword or I snap this lady's pretty neck."

The soldier hesitated.  "Do it now!" it screamed as it moved closer to Darlene, within striking distance.  Elizabeth approached closer with the torch in hand.  "I command thee to retreat into the shadows evil spirit.  You have no place with the living.  Forensi, you must fight it."

"If I lay down my sword, you will let the ladies depart unharmed?" Thompson negotiated.  "Of course," the monster replied in a seductive voice.

Darlene could get on her knees but would need to struggle to her feet.  It was a close distance to the nearest chair, which might help.  A heavy discharged pistol lay on the ground near her in the opposite direction.

[Darlene Hamilton]

Thomas protectively wrenched her away.

In a stumble and tumble, she fell, hand scuffing along the grim floor and for a moment her mind was emptied with the shock, while her skits twisted off and lurched with the monster's tangle heaving.  With eyes wide, she turned to try to see, while the great commanding words echoed out in the chamber. 

My neck?   She raised a dainty (and grubby) hand protectively to her own throat, but she could hear the beast had turned and moved towards her.  In a rising panic, Darlene scrambled on her knees away.

Don't put down your sword!  her frantic mind called to the Guard.  It sounded like a bad idea, although no better ideas came to her mind.   It was then that Thomas showed her the pistol; it caught the light from Elizabeth's torch and beckoned her to grab for it.  

Crawling towards the spent gun, Darlene snatched at the nozzle bit and spun intent to wield its handle like Thor's hammer!   

"Elizabeth!" she shouted at that moment and extended her other hand.  Whether to offer help or to receive it, who could really tell? 

 

[Blackguard]

Thompson could see the ladies but purposefully held the monster's attention.  "Very well, let the ladies leave now and then you and I will settle this man to man."

Elizabeth saw Darlene recover the pistol, though she was unaware of how to load it. Still it could be used like a club, she supposed.  So, instead of attacking Forensi with the torch she moved around the reach of the monster and towards Darlene, ready to take the pistol.

"No," the beast replied to the soldier.  "You must put your sword down first, and then they can leave."

"How do I know you will honor the bargain?" the soldier played for time as Elizabeth drew closer slowly.  "You have no choice soldier.  I will kill them both right now and you will have to answer to the Duke.  Do it now!"

"Very well, I am putting my sword down.  Ladies please leave," Thompson implored.  "Throw the sword to the other side of the room," the beast commanded.  "Very well," he replied as he inched further away from the beast and had him turn his back to Elizabeth, who was helping Darlene to her feet.

As Darlene got to her feet, Elizabeth gave her back the pistol and looked at her questioningly.  She seemed conflicted about staying or fleeing.

Clang.  The rapier was cast towards the table.  The beast considered dispatching the ladies but was too angered by the soldier in front of him, and charged.  Darlene was not quite in range to strike the beast before he moved away.  It had taken some moments to get to her feet.

[Darlene Hamilton]

Everything happened so quickly! 

"No - dont!"  That the beast that possessed Fiorenzi was so insistent on discarding the weapon, Darlene knew with all her intuition that it was a bad idea. But that soldier, he was valiant, and Darlene knew his sort very well. That lifeguard would sacrifice his own safety to ensure the women. 

Darlene did not need time to think to know all this, it was just known. 

Even as Elizabeth helped her to her feet, and the sound of the sword being thrown down reverberated a bell-like death knoll,  Darlene grabbed back the only weapon she could, and as the creature rushed in to attack the soldier,  she spun and shouted  "I am sorry!" she threw the weapon with all her might at Fionezi's head.  

 

 

 

 

[Blackguard]

Elizabeth sighed as Darlene once again displayed her impulsiveness.  It was not a disapproving sigh as she had to admire her friend's temerity.  As  Darlene approached to throw the pistol, Elizabeth moved quickly to the table to retrieve the sword.  She was muttering in Latin and calling on her grandfather as she did so.

A feminine arm was not well trained to throw heavy objects accurately, or very far.  Amazingly enough, it struck Forenzi in the back, but not with enough force to harm him.  The monster had just struck the soldier to the ground and in his moment of gloating, it turned its gaze around to Darlene.  "You whore.  You cannot stop me.  Now,  I will have to kill you and you can join your precious Thomas."  He sneered as he imagined it.

It was then that the soldier rose and jumped on the back of Forenzi, much like Darlene but much more dangerous as he tried to strangle the beast.  "Flee ladies!" he again implored.

[Darlene Hamilton]

The gun hit his back! She was thrilled, and shot a look to Elizabeth to crow of the success.

Now normally, Darlene would be fairly upset to be called a whore, especially as she'd never been paid for sex (unless you counted the house the Duke had given her).  But when the Spirit called her that, it only fueled her intentions.  

"We shall not leave you to the villainy of the netherworld!" Darlene shouted, believing that the soldier almost had the better of the beast and only needed a little more help to tip the scales. "Elizabeth, poke him in the ribs!"   Darlene yelled for the Duchess to use the rapier, while she was just as ready to grab it from her friend's hands and make the puncture herself. 

[Blackguard]

Elizabeth retrieved the sword and offered it to Darlene, preferring to hold the torch.  "Perhaps we should join hands and summon grandfather?  I fear the sword is too heavy to wield."  Indeed, it took both hands for Darlene to raise it, and she would not be in much position to stab with much force, but who knew?  "I was thinking we would give Thompson the sword if he is cast free," she added.

The beast retreated and threw his back against the nearest wall in a bid to knock the soldier free.  There was a good chance that the Life Guard might lose his breath and release his grip.  However the man held on with incredible strength in choking Forensi.  The Hungarian was of decent height and weight but was not built for melee.  As such, the soldier was having some success in choking the monster, despite its inhuman strength.  It was coughing and gagging while acting more frantic in its attempts to crush Thompson against the wall.

[Blackguard]

Topside

Davina and Anne would see Marie running towards the nearest archway.  It was easy to find her with all the screaming and the bobbing of a lit lantern.  Even this late at night, the panicked maid attracted the attention of a yeoman on duty.  He had a sword at his side.

The two ladies would be able to see Marie conversing and they would be able to close on her somewhat quickly as she had stopped her running.  "A monster is attacking my mistress," Marie cried, half out of breath.  "A monster?" replied the guard with expected skepticism.  "Down ... in ... dungeon," she gasped, lowering her head to try and capture her breath,  "What sort of monster?" came the follow-up question.

 

 

[Darlene Hamilton]

Darlene looked from Elizabeth to the Lifeguard, then back to Elizabeth.

"He can't let go; we need to help him. Between us, we can do this."  She grabbed up a handful of her skirts and, through the fabric, took hold of the blade just below where Elizabeth held it.   "We only need to injure him a little.  May the spirits of William and Thomas guide our blade!" 

 

 

 

[George Hardwick III]

It had been a great night of Astronomy; George was giddy of it. Possibly, he'd had a little bit too much vino, or perhaps it was just God's magnificence of wonders in the universe that enlivened him.  Life was truly, very good. 

He was on his way back to his apartment, anticipating a doting wife awaiting him, when he heard shouting. More particularly a woman's voice, desperate. 

Quickening his step, he approached, "What is going on here? How can I help."  From first impression, George divined that the issue was not with the yeoman. 

 

[Blackguard]

"Stab him in the leg maybe," Elizabeth offered.  "Nothing fatal of course," she added.  She held her torch high, willing to poke Forensi in the face with it in the hopes it might cause the spirit to flee.

The beast was struggling but saw the ladies and hope to scare them by charging them.  The creature fed on fear, and he was not getting much satisfaction out of this encounter.  As he charged, Elizabeth poked at his face to cause his to look away, while Darlene attempted to stab him.

It was probably the adrenaline of the moment, as opposed to spiritual assistance, but Darlene felt enough strength in her arms to poke at Forensi's body and legs.  There was a poke at his stomach and then his right thigh. The latter one seemed to draw blood!  The beast was running out of strength and was stumbling, in a stupor of sorts.  "No," it screamed in defiance, not only to the physical onslaught but also some combat in its mind.  It was weakening and it fell to the floor, with Thompson atop him.

[Darlene Hamilton]

"Yes!" Darlene encouraged Elizabeth while she tried to direct the blade away from the man's face. 

With what grasp she could manage, Darlene directed as best she could as together they stabbed at the monster, "In the name of the Lord, We command you to evacuate our friend's body!" she cried out and quickly looked to the Duchess and flashed a smile. 

"Get back to Hades!" she shouted again and poked once more, this time in the thigh.  "You scurvy demon; you have no right to flesh and blood!" 

The Lifeguard had managed to pin the creature, but to be certain, she shouted to Elizabeth, "Quick, sit on its arms and legs!"  and she moved to kneel her weight onto an exposed arm. 

 

[Davina Wellsley]

Davina and Anne Elizabeth

From inside, where they had just came from, rose a series of what could only be called shouts and clearly a woman's voice.

Was it Darlene or the Duchess? Or both?

She whispered back to her companion "I think it best to silence her at least for now. And I think our retreat is perhaps the best course ....."

She trailed off as they both would see the maid now encountering a guard and babbling her Tale pointing back to where they stood.

"Well that is unfortunate. We are not seen as of yet so I think now is the time for departure."

It was then that she heard an oh too familiar voice ...

"Splendor of God!"

"Of all the times for HIM to appear   .... Quick. We MUST not be found out."

"It is George - Lord Chichester to be precise - and he will indeed come to see what is amiss. The guard will be sent for re-enforcements and we have to act in haste."

"Come. I will led us on another path away from here and we shall be back inside the Lower Court and then to my rooms."

'Please. Do not argue over this. We have to think rationally  - how can we explain our presence here? To say we were 'curious' would hardly be believed and I do not want to be caught up in any of the Duchesses mess. We are lucky to have escaped and we can only hope that the Life Guard was successful and no harm has befallen them. Since we are not there we do not have to explain."

She reached for the others hand drawing her closer into the darkness and half-turned to her right to follow some unmarked path.

[Anne-Elisabeth Devereux]

“Very well,” Anne-Elisabeth agreed, pleased that Davina was thinking along the same lines as she was. Unfortunately, the maid ran into a guard before they could jump her. “See?” she remarked after listening to their conversation. “I told you that nobody would believe her.”

 

She groaned when she saw Lord Chichester approach the two and ask what was wrong. It seemed as if Davina knew him as well … and a lot better than she did considering she used his first name. Though she knew that he could be trusted, he had just gotten married yesterday and she wasn’t about to put his life at risk. Anne-Elisabeth wished she could prevent him becoming involved at all, but that seemed unlikely. Perhaps he, like the guard, would not believe the handmaiden’s tale.

 

She also hoped that he wasn’t drawn to the light of the torch she was holding. “You’re right. We need to get out of here. If Lord Chichester does see us, I can explain our presence. He and I attended an astronomy demonstration earlier this evening. I will tell him that I decided to gaze at the stars a little longer and I ran into you. You’ll just need to come up with a reason for being out so late. Sleeplessness is always a good excuse. We can also say that we were curious when we heard the maid screaming.”

 

Though she had intended to suggest they go to her room, Anne-Elisabeth was perfectly happy going to Davina’s instead. Like herself, she suspected that her friend didn’t want to spend the rest of the night alone. Neither of them would probably be able to sleep after what they had witnessed.   Davina also knew the palace a lot better than she did.

 

She let her friend take her hand and lead her down a path she couldn’t see. “I doubt that anything can help them now. It took us awhile to reach the surface. I do hope that they are unharmed, but it’s more important to save ourselves.”

 

If the Duchess and her toady said anything at all about her and Davina’s involvement in the botched séance, the ‘evil spirit’s’ wrath would look like child’s play compared to her own.

[Blackguard]

Topside

"Please hurry," Marie begged.  He will kill my lady!"

"What sort of prank is this," the guard began as George arrived.  "Good evening milord.  This girl is babbling nonsense about monsters."

The servant shifted her eyes to George.  "Please milord, each second counts.  He is gonna kill them all."  Tears were streaming from her eyes.  "I swear by all that is holy.  He's attacked a Life Guard."

That got the attention of the guard.

 

Down Below

Thompson kept Forenzi pinned and his head in a headlock.  He was breathing heavily from the ordeal.  "Do you see any rope?" he grunted to the Duchess.  "We need to bind him."

Elizabeth looked around briefly.  "I see no rope."

"Go and fetch the guard then, while I hold him Your Grace," he suggested.

Elizabeth hesitated as she thought things through.  "They will put the Count in a cell," she spoke, mostly to herself.  "He was possessed.  It was not him at fault.  The guards might get the wrong idea about things."  She knew Thompson to be her husband's aide.  "My husband may get the wrong idea."  She doubted she could coax the man to not relay what happened to her husband.  There could be Hell to pay.  So, she tried a different tactic.  "I doubt he would want anyone at court to know what transpired here tonight.  It was all just a bit of fun that went out of control.  Right Darlene? I know that my husband and I can count on your discretion."  In this she was correct and the man's sigh signaled it to be true.

Forenzi's body was still limp and Darlene was still leaning on the man's arm.

 

 

[Darlene Hamilton]

Shifting to be a bit more comfortable as she helped Thomson by pinning the demon's arm down, she looked at Elizabeth with understanding.  "The Duke is bound to get the wrong idea." she nodded as the ladies discovered that there really wasn't an easy solution. 

How did the spirit know those things he'd said?  They were a version of things that rung more of contempt than honesty... but with a kernel of truth that made her wonder there was some truth to everything he'd claimed. And why had he said those things?  Dark things hinted towards blackmail, but why would a spirit need money? 

Darlene's eyes slid to the flickering shadows, and she had a strong sense of what Thomas wanted her to do. He did not want her to lie for The Count.   "We have to tell the Duke everything, and he can look into what has happened... discreetly, in a way to save your reputation. Both our reputations."  Shifting some, she lifted her hem and tried to rip some fabric from the petticoat;  "Will this do?" she asked the lifeguard.

"We cannot do what we want, Elizabeth; we must do what is right." Darlene looked toward the flicking shadows and made a small smile.   

 

[Davina Wellsley]

Davina and Anne Elizabeth

She spared a second to look back at the trio before turning round and leading Anne Elizabeth into the darkness.

"Drop the torch now so that it goes out. No trail must be left for others to notice. We can easily make our way thru the bushes and soon back to the Castle."

"A torn hem or skirt will be nothing and easily mended - as opposed to a lost Life."

"Do you think they are unharmed? In truth I am torn over leaving or remaining but having to explain our presence as I have said - and in a way believable to Everyone - just is not possible."

She led them along a dirt path that clearly was known for it was mostly free from stones and tree roots until they came face to face with a Castle wall rising high up into the darkness. It was quiet without any night sounds save for their own breathing. Nothing moved or even rustled and so it was an easy task to slip unnoticed into the area just before the Chapel. She motioned for the other two keep to the shadows and a finger to her lips gave warning that something was ahead  .......

Two Castle guards sauntered by exchanging a laugh and then a bottle back and forth. They passed close enough that the smell of the alcohol was easy to discerne but they continued own unaware that two Ladies huddled in the darkness.

"It is only a short distance more and then we are Safe. No time to waste."

She knew exactly where they were and within a space of six or seven minutes had reached the entrance to the Tower where they both lodged.

"Will you come to my room then? There is warmth and drink and I, well, I do not want to be alone."

"And we must come to the same conclusions about tonight."

"If things have gone bad and if someone has gotten hurt or worse and tongues wag (referencing the maid of the Duchesses) and our presence there becomes know    ...."

She let that sentence trail off as she began to climb the stairs.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Davina Wellsley

[Blackguard]

Elizabeth was having a difficult time breathing as she was now out of the heat of the moment.  She found herself moving to a chair and leaning against it for strength.  She considered Darlene's words with mixed emotions.  Chris would arrest the Count and send him away to the Continent again.  He would punish her for this folly, which to her mind, was not her fault.  It was just bad luck.  They had reached her grandfather, if only briefly. He had warned her to flee, had he not?  Now she might never know what he needed to tell her otherwise, and Darlene would never be able to speak to Thomas.  On the other hand, Thompson owed his loyalty to her husband and would tell him what happened any way.  If she tried to paint a false painting, her husband would have further cause against her.  It was not a pretty picture at all.

"Yes, you are right Darlene.  I must always be honest to my husband."  That pronouncement was for the soldier and not truly meant.  "But only he must know all.  Lieutenant, I believe we tell the other guards and any who arrive that we were just planning a bit of fun, unaware that the Count was under the influence of strong drink."  She took a look at the brown bottle that still held some liquid.

She was picking up the silver crosses as she spoke, and blew out the pentagram candles.  "He became rowdy and threatened violence, so good Lieutenant Thompson here, wrestled him to the ground before any harm could be done.  It has the advantage of being the truth."  

[George Hardwick III]

Topside

"Try to calm yourself, take a steading breath." George spoke to the woman while he exchanged a 'look' with the guard. 

"Who attached a lifeguard, were you out near the tree?" he remembered another attack some years ago, Lady Jane's father had been killed and while he'd tried to give chase the villain had got away. 

[Darlene Hamilton]

Darlene blinked at Elizabeth's uncharacteristic… pragmatic sense, so carefully stating what was only good sense.  It was like there was some sort of cover-up going on, except that Elizabeth was simply revealing all.

Unless? Unless she wasn’t.  Unless there was something more to what was going on.   “Yes, I agree, only Duke Albemarle should be told of this, it is he who we trust completely.”

Meanwhile, Darlene knew how poorly Elizabeth regarded her husband, although he was surely preferable to anyone else getting involved.  (She might have suggested Charles, except that she had not forgiven him for a long time yet).  

As the guard got Fiorenzi secured, Darlene was able to get back to her feet, and as soon as she was able to, she sidled over to the brown bottle and pocketed it.

“We have nothing to hide.

[Blackguard]

Topside

No one seemed to notice the departure of Davina and Anne.  It was late and dark, giving them a better chance of returning to their rooms in a normal fashion.  Some guards seemed alert, but paid no heed to the ladies that seemed to be on a late night walk.

Marie was at risk of hyperventilating and tried to calm down as Chichester recommended.  At last she responded.  "It was Count Forenzi.  He went mad!"  She paused to see the lord's reaction.  "It weren't a tree, but down deep in the dungeon."  The guard stood behind the Earl, listening to the interrogation.  Guards knew to leave interrogation to their social betters.

[Blackguard]

Down Below

For ladies with nothing to hide, they sure had quite a bit to hide.  Was that not the nature of court?

"Lieutenant," the Duchess began as she finished picking up evidence that might suggest some occult rite had occurred.  "We are taking our leave, as you requested.  We shall send you assistance once we are back on the surface."  Elizabeth noticed Darlene taking the bottle but then looked away, assuming that this was part of the clean-up of the mess.

"I assume you will confirm my story Lieutenant?  It was all a bit of entertainment that went beyond control.  It is the truth.  I know the Duke would appreciate that."

"Yes, your Grace," the Life Guard mentioned.  "Please depart quickly and do not look back."

"Do not further hurt Forenzi," she instructed as she gathered her skirts and moved towards the exit.  "Come Darlene.  We must hurry."

[Anne-Elisabeth Devereux]

Davina and Anne-Elisabeth

 

Anne-Elisabeth dropped the torch in the dirt and flipped the end of it over with her boot to extinguish it completely. Immediately, she looked up at the stars sparkling in the sky but they didn’t comfort her as they usually did. It was still nice to be able to see them again.

 

“We made the right decision,” she reassured her friend. “If we had stayed, what could we have done? Watch from the shadows? Life Guards are the most well-trained soldiers in the country. One of them is far superior to two weaponless ladies in a fight.”

 

Davina alerted her to the presence of guards patrolling the area and she held her breath until they had passed. It wasn’t long before they reached the tower where their rooms were. “I don’t want to be alone either tonight.” Ordinarily, an independent lady like Anne-Elisabeth would never admit such a thing. “We definitely need to come up with an alibi to prove we were nowhere near the cellars tonight. And there are other things we need to discuss as well. We are not out of danger yet.”

 

Lifting the front hem of her skirt, she, too, began to climb the stairs.

 

 

(OOC: Shall we start another thread for them in Davina’s room since our part in this one is done?)

 

[Davina Wellsley]

Davina and Anne-Elizabeth

She was glad for the others agreement and led them up the staircase and soon to her set of rooms.

Poppy must have heard for she was quick to open the door a ready retort cut short as she saw her Mistress was not alone.

"What foolishness ..... Look at the hour  ...."

"Come inside quick. Go to the brazier both of you  ...."

Long service gave her some leeway with her speech and manners so the other Lady should not take offense. It was hoped.

The room was warm and candles placed about gave it less of a gloomy atmosphere. Nicely finished tho it was. A round copper basin filled with sea coal was placed towards the windows and two carved wooden chairs can be pulled if wanted. Sea coal was best used at night where it would cover the fire with a crust so that come morning the fire would be revived to take the chill out of the air. Poppy saw to the cloaks and sent her Lady a 'look' to mean that she would expect some explanations.

"Some wine I think Poppy .... And stir up the fire and never mind the morning ..... set some water to warm  ...."

She quietly gave her commands. She indicted for the other to take a chair then she herself would sit. 

"Do you think an alibi is really needed?"

She asked.

[Anne-Elisabeth Devereux]

Davina and Anne-Elisabeth

 

~continued here.